Little Flower
by LaLa Land 14
Summary: Bankotsu was alone when he came across her and her odd friend Jakotsu. She managed to tear down his walls and open his heart, but in the end, his doubt won. Now, 10 years after her betrayal, he still can't bring himself to forget her. Meanwhile, where is she? What will he do when she shows up, with a new group of friends?
1. Prologue: Memories of a Flower

_"Big Brother!" An effeminate man cried, jogging towards the castle. Behind him, a young girl practically floated across the ground, her bare feet barely touching the blood stained grass as she kept her emerald eyes trained on the man leading her. "Big Brother Bankotsu!"_

 _"Took you long enough." The teen snapped, his eyes stormy and dark as they searched his companions for any injuries. Finding none, his glare softened and he opened his arms. Without a moment of hesitation, the girl settled on the step in front of him, leaning her head against his chest where his haori had fluttered open in the wind._

 _She whispered, "We found a village not far from here." Letting out a purr of contentment as his hands massaged her lower back, she traced her claws along his arm that held her against him. "It's not a large one, but there were a couple promising shops."_

 _His hands dipped lower, caressing the silky soft skin of her hip and resting just below the hem of her kimono. He smirked, knowing she wore nothing underneath the indecently short purple material. "You think it'd be advantageous to raid it?" He gazed down at her, lifting the hand that wasn't on her hip to run his calloused fingers along the blue stripes on her cheek bones._

 _"Maybe." She nearly moaned, her glossy pink lips parted ever so slightly. "I could use some new clothes, and my knives have dulled since our last battle. I know Jakotsu was eyeing some of the kimonos too."_

 _He nuzzled his face against her inky black hair, not noticing when Jakotsu slunk away to give them privacy. "If I had my way, you'd never wear a kimono again."_

 _She chuckled sultrily, loosening her obi and allowing the fine silk to slide down her arms enough to show the curve of her full breasts and the tattoo etched over her heart. "Ah, yes, but then we'd never get anything done." She slid up his body, straddling his lap. The position thrust her chest into his face._

 _Bankotsu chuckled, burying his face between the two pale mounds. "I'd die happy though." He whispered._

 _He stood up, holding her with one hand cupping her bottom. With his free hand, he picked up Banryu._

 _"You know," She whispered against his neck, sucking lightly before continuing. "There is a lovely garden just outside the grounds."_

 _He headed off towards the vines that he knew covered the wall surrounding the garden. "Then that's where we'll go. Jakotsu!"_

 _The cross-dresser peered around the corner at his best friends. "Yes, Big Brother?"_

 _"Find out the best way into the village you saw." A smirk covered his face when his girls thighs tightened around his waist. "We'll be back later."_

"Damn it!" He snarled, crumpling up the paper he had been writing on. The breeze blew it away to join the other rejected notes that littered the clearing. "She's gone, the sooner I realize that, the sooner things will get back to normal."

 _'Things will never be normal without her.'_ The thought lasted only a second but he knew it to be true.

"Master Bankotsu." Kohaku's voice cut through the teen's daydreams like a knife. "I have brought you your friends."

 _'Maybe I can't have her, but I still have my friends.'_ Throwing up the hand that held his brush, he greeted the band of men coming towards him. "Yo!" He laughed, waving at them.


	2. Chapter 1- Faded Petals

The first one to speak was Renkotsu, his dark eyes staring intensely at his leader. "So Big Brother, we are all back together again."

Bankotsu, still stuck on thoughts of past love, says quietly. "Not all."

Renkotsu bows his head slightly. "I regret to inform you that Mukotsu and Kyukotsu were-"

"They were killed. Couldn't be helped." Bankotsu shrugs non committedly, tossing the brush pen and some scroll paper towards his second in command. "You're the smart one, so you can write."

 _'It used to be her job._ ' His subconcious seemed set on vexing him today. His azure eyes stare out over the cliff face at the castle. The one where everything had gone wrong.

"Write...what?" Renkotsu looked in confusion to Bankotsu, then out at the castle.

"The time has come to settle old scores. Our vengeance will know no bounds, so prepare to die. Or something to that effect." He shrugs, glancing at his brother.

Jakotsu grins, his eyes lighting up as he claps his hands in glee. "Do we get to kill people?"

"Yeah." Just staring at the huge, bustling castle made his stomach sick and his head ache with the pain of unwanted memories. "Do you remember that castle?"

Jakotsu frowns quizzically, coming to stand beside Bankotsu. "No. Should we?"

Bankotsu's glare at the structure only intensifies as he mutters bitterly. "The decietful bastards in that castle are the ones who are responsible for chopping our heads off." The jewel shard in his neck seems to pulse as he clenches his fists.

Jakotsu's eyes dim as he stares at the castle, remembering the day as if it were yesterday. "Oh yeah..." As if the thought had only just occured to him, he glances around the clearing with a frown. "Why didn't Naraku revive Little Sister? She was as formidable as the rest of us."

The burning rage he saw in the gaze Bankotsu directed at him shocked him to the core. "Don't...ever."

 _'They were already dead when it happened...I can't tell Jak though, he loved that girl like a sister...almost as much as I loved her.'_ Bankotsu sighs as Jakotsu looks down sadly, seeming to shrink back into his fanciful kimono. "I miss her." He mumbles quietly, not sure what had happened to change Big Brother's mood so quickly.

Bankotsu throws his arm around Jakotsu's shoulders and sighs. "I know. But trust me, once I get my companion back, we'll terrorize these lands just as we used to."

Jakotsu smiles and they both look at the castle, their minds alike but on completely separate topics. One on the thoughts of a dearly missed sister, and one on the memories of a bitter end.

Renkotsu stands, handing Bankotsu the finished scroll. "Here, it should be good."

Bankotsu looks over the scroll and nods, calling out. "Kohaku!"

The forgotten boy looks up, seeing Bankotsu holding the rolled scroll out to him. "Uh...yes sir?"

"Deliver this to the castle. Make sure the lord himself receives it." Bankotsu smirks slightly as he imagines what it will feel like to finally have his revenge on those who had ended his life. _'First that traitorous lord and his cronies...then that backstabbing bitch.'_

Elsewhere, a tall, curvy demoness was washing in a stream, her silky black hair piled atop her head as she relaxed in the warm sun. A loud gasp escapes her as her emerald green eyes snap wide open. Her heart pounds as she looks around, although logically she knew it was unlikely he had searched her out.

The mating bond was pulsing. The tattoo over her heart glows bright blue as she stands as if in a daze, struggling to shake herself out of it. _'No...it's impossible, I was there. He was killed. All of them were."_

Nonetheless, she knew it in her heart that her love was alive once again. Redressing in her mid thigh length, black silk kimono, she sighs and looks up to the sky. _'Maybe he's forgotten...or forgiven me enough so I can explain.'_ Shaking her head, she ties the strip of throwing knifes around her toned thigh so that it is hidden by her clothes. _'All I can do is wait for the right time. I doubt he feels the bond, it was always weaker to him since he was human.'_

Finished bathing and, for the first time in years, having a destination in mind, she turns and disappears into the forest humming a soft tune from her childhood.

It was a few days later on a pleasant summer day when they chose to attack. Or, more accurately, Bankotsu couldn't sit still for another day with his thoughts tortured by memories from that day.

He stood atop Genkotsu as if he were a guardian, arms crossed in front of his broad chest. "Oh, look. There it is." He says as if in wonder.

Jakotsu glares at the offensive structure, tucking his arms into his sleeves. "Ugh. It makes me sick just thinking about it."

 _'You and me both, Jak.'_ He sighs and closes his eyes, frowning. "I remember it like it was yesterday."

 _The bloodied, defeated members of the Band of Seven were led into the courtyard of the castle and forced to kneel, their hands tied behind their backs. All of them, lined up like pigs at a slaughter. Bankotsu, Jakotsu, Renkotsu, Mukotsu, Suikotsu, and Kyukotsu. Genkotsu had already been dismantled, his great mechanical body torn to pieces and smoldering in a pile off to the side to be gathered for later._

 _All except for one._

 _One by one, the executioners systematically brought their swords down, severing their heads until only Bankotsu and Jakotsu were left alive. Gazing at his best friend with tears in his eyes, Jakotsu murmurs, "Big Brother..."_

 _The executioner brought his blade down swiftly, forcing Bankotsu to clench his eyes shut. It was too late, the image of the crimson blood spilling from his best friend's neck would forever be burned into his brain, even in death._

 _Tears welled up in his eyes but he refused to let them fall, to give them the pleasure of seeing him cry for his comrades. Glaring at the general, he nearly snarled. "Get it over with..."_

 _The general laughed, cold and humorlessly. "Not just yet." He gestured with his hand and Bankotsu's eyes widened as his mate was brought forward, wearing a pure white, silk kimono with her hair braided neatly. She kept her head down, the markings on her face almost hidden by the loose tendrils of hair that framed her face._

 _Bankotsu growled at his captors, his eyes trained on her. "Let her go, she wasn't part of this!"_

 _The general smirked, his mask not able to cover the smugness in his voice. "Oh, I'm aware. You see, this one was smart enough to get out. Of course, it cost all of you your lives in the end, but what does it matter? She'll be taken care of." He laughed then as the girl closed her eyes, a single crystal clear tear running down her cheek._

 _Bankotsu's stomach felt like lead as he mutters, "You sold us out."_ _She shakes her head in denial but he cuts her off before she can talk, shouting, "Traitorous wench! We were your family!"_

 _The general gave a swift command and the executioner brought his blade down, cutting down the last and most fearsome of the Band of Seven._

Inuyasha stopped and sniffed the air, frowning. Kagome stepped up to his side, her hand coming to rest on his arm that was resting on Tetsusaiga's sheath. "What's wrong Inuayasha?"

He shakes his head slowly, his eyebrows furrowing as his thoughts race. 'That scent...it can't be...' He looks at the others and his eyes glow bright in determination. "We need to go to the castle."

Finding his Banryu was easy, those foolish mortals had kept it as a trophy. Dispatching the rest of the guards had brought him much glee, the feeling of Banryu slicing through their bodies and the rush of the battle pumping through him, making him feel alive.

No sooner had he killed the last guard when he heard hoofs pounding on the ground towards him. He smirked, turning to face the man he had hated for so long, even from his grave.

The general of the castle aimed his spear at him, glaring cruelly at the young man standing in front of him. "You again. I thought we dealt with you 10 years ago."

Bankotsu smirks, resting Banryu on his shoulder as he shrugs. "Yeah well, you had what's mine."

The general smirks cockily at the young mercenary, even visible behind the mask. "Are you referring to the sword or your half-breed mate?"

At the mention of her, Bankotsu's spine stiffens and he flexes his grip on Banryu's hilt. "Leave her out of this, this is between you and I."

The general shakes his head, not backing down. "No, the wench is a part of this considering it was I who had her in my bed afterwards. When you find her, she'll bear my scars, you'll not want her ever again." He sneers "Oh wait, you don't want her anymore. Not after she betrayed you, her brothers..." He clicks his tongue in shame mockingly. "Such a shame. She was a good fuck, for a worthless demon."

His rage boiling over, Bankotsu lunges at the man, abandoning Banryu in the ground. This fight was personal, he wanted to feel the bones crunch beneath his fists.

 _'He put his filthy hands on her...my mate...'_ His hands wrap tightly around the arrogant general's throat, nearly crushing his windpipe. "Where is she?" When he receives only an attempted stab from the man's spear, Bankotsu shoves him down and grabs Banryu.

Jakotsu watches, confused by the general's words. _'But...Little Sister was executed with us, wasn't she?'_

Renkotsu watches in disinterest, sitting atop Genkotsu. _'The girl is still his greatest weakness, in life and death. He's going to lead us to our deaths all over again.'_

Watching their leader cut the loathsome man into shreds with pure satisfaction on his face, the men failed to sense the aura of the demoness perched on the castle wall, her long hair billowing in the wind. She watches, torn between happiness and grief. _'Finally that horrible monster is dead...he deserved every slice. But...Bankotsu seems even more bloodthirsty now, after being revived. I had hoped he would have become kinder again, like before.'_

She lost focus on the brutal scene in front of her, a memory from long ago taking the forefront of her mind.

 _She ran through the forest, giggling softly as she heard the young boy running behind her, cursing as his hakama were caught on thorns and bushes that she neatly avoided. The forest ended suddenly in a clearing where a pond was situated, leading into a small brook that ran further down the mountain side. The young girl fell backwards, smiling as she looks up at the clear blue sky and lets her kimono ride up higher on her legs, wanting to feel the sun's heat._

 _Moments later, the muscular young boy who had been chasing her collapses beside her, his bare chest glistening with sweat and his short black hair ruffled and filled with leaves. "You coulda slowed down, you know!"_

 _She gives him an impish smile and nods. "I know. But you could've sped up too." He rolls his eyes playfully and wraps his arm around her shoulders letting her use his bicep as a pillow._

 _She snuggles against him, blushing softly as her hand brushes over his muscular chest. "Ban?" She murmurs as if afraid to disturb him._

 _"Yeah?" He glances down at her, a soft smile upturning his lips._

 _"Does it bother you that I'm...well...part demon?" She nearly whispers it, unconciously pressing closer against him._

 _He frowns as he hooks a finger under her chin, lifting her head gently to look into her eyes. "Why would it bother me?"_

 _She shrugs, her cheeks flushing. "I-I just...one day, we're going to be old. I'll keep living, barely aging. You and Jak won't. We won't be able to run through the forest or cuddle up under the stars every night..."_

 _He stares into her eyes then smiles, kissing her forehead gently. "Well, I don't plan on losing you." He reaches into the waist of his hakama, pulling out a small sack. "I was going to wait until your birthday but I want you to have it now."_

 _She sits up, taking the small bundle and opening it carefully, gasping at what falls into her hand. He watches, biting his lip nervously as he waits for her reaction. She slowly rolls the green gem across her palm, her eyes watering as she looks up at him. "Ban...it's beautiful..."_

 _He smiles as he takes the necklace from her and helps her put it on. "Then it suits you."_

 _She smiles, blushing until a thought occurs to her. "Wait...it's a custom...for courtship, after a demon comes of age..." She looks up at him, hoping she isn't wrong about the sudden change in his behavior over the past few weeks._

 _A crimson blush covers his tanned face and he looks away. "I uh...found a book on demon customs in the old priest's hut."_

 _She smiles as she gently runs her fingertips over his cheekbones, feeling the heat of his skin. "Are you trying to court me?"_

 _He hesitates a moment then nods. "I wanted to do it right since you're 3/4s demon..."_

 _She bites her lip softly before leaning in, kissing him gently as she murmurs, "I'm also 1/4 human." Slowly, she pulls him to the lush grass, still kissing._

 _It was night time before they returned to the village, her asleep in his arms and him sporting her healing mating mark on his collarbone._

Bankotsu finally gives up on hacking at the grisly remains of the general, sitting in front of one of the buildings with Jakotsu. Jakotsu stares at him for a moment before murmuring, "Big Brother...why did the general talk about Little Sister that way?"

Bankotsu takes a drink of sake, swallowing hard as he looks down at his crossed legs. Before he could begin thinking of his response, Renkotsu called, "The wolf is approaching."

Jakotsu smirks, standing up and smoothing his kimono, the matter of his sister forgotten for the moment. "This one is mine, we have unfinished business."


End file.
